_________________"If he isn't the best football player, the best runner, that the Lord has ever made, then the Lord has yet to make one." Wayne Fontes on Barry.

Last edited by bsand2053 on July 12th, 2005, 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

July 5th, 2005, 1:29 pm

LionsFan4Life

Fired Head Coach (0-16 record)

Joined: October 30th, 2004, 12:30 pmPosts: 2205Location: Austin, TX

Last year when I worked for the big cable company here in town. We would watch the race everyday while at work it was nice. My new job which is better in every facet except the whole watching TV @ work thing.

GO LANCE!!

_________________

NEVER GIVE UP!

July 5th, 2005, 5:56 pm

TheRealWags

Megatron

Joined: December 31st, 2004, 9:55 amPosts: 12534

Go Lance Go!!!!! 7 in a row!! You know that has got to piss off the French

_________________

Quote:

Detroit vs. EverybodyClowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right....

COURCHEVEL, France (AP) - Lance Armstrong took a decisive step Tuesday toward a seventh consecutive Tour de France title, blowing away his main rivals in the first Alpine stage to regain the overall lead.

Armstrong did the damage on the punishing 13.8-mile climb to the ski station of Courchevel, eating up the ascent with ease while Jan Ullrich and other challengers grimaced in pain behind.

Spain's Alejandro Valverde won the 10th stage, just beating Armstrong to the finish line, but is not considered one of Armstrong's main rivals in this year's race. Valverde and Armstrong finished the 110.9-mile stage in 4 hours, 50 minutes, 35 seconds.

Mickael Rasmussen is second in the overall standings, 38 seconds behind Armstrong. Ivan Basso, among the main challengers left behind by Armstrong on Tuesday, is third overall - 2:40 behind the Texan.

Rasmussen finished the stage in third place, 9 seconds behind Valverde and Armstrong.

Valverde and Armstrong shook hands in the saddle after they crossed the line together.

"Today, I had good legs," Armstrong said. "We are in a good position with regards to some of the main rivals, so we'll have to protect that."

His powerful ride silenced doubts that Armstrong is too old at 33, or too jaded after his record six victories, to win again. He is following the winning formula of previous years - when Armstrong hammered rivals in the mountains, building up leads that carried him to victory in Paris.

Last year, Armstrong won all three Alpine stages and one of two in the Pyrenees.

Armstrong declined to claim that overall victory was his just yet. Two more stages await in the Alps, followed by the Pyrenees and a final time trial before the three-week race finishes in Paris on July 24.

"There's still a lot of racing to go," Armstrong said.

The American praised his Discovery Channel team, which piled on the pace in the first section of the ascent to whittle down the field, after struggling on a moderate climb last week.

Doubts had arisen whether the team could give the support that Armstrong needs in the Alps.

"It is a really tough team, with a lot of pride," Armstrong said.

He also praised Valverde, a 25-year-old racing his first Tour.

"Everybody has seen the future of cycling," Armstrong said. "He is a classy young rider."

Valverde was thrilled with the result.

"My dream was to win a stage, now that is done," said Valverde, who trails Armstrong by 3:16 overall. He said the Texan "looks as strong as he did in previous years."

Ullrich, the 1997 Tour winner and a five-time runner-up, placed 13th, 2:14 behind the leaders. The German trails Armstrong by 4:02 overall.

One of the biggest surprises was the collapse of Alexandre Vinokourov. Ullrich's teammate from Kazakhstan had been expected to seriously challenge Armstrong.

Detroit vs. EverybodyClowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right....

July 18th, 2005, 10:29 am

conversion02

RIP Killer

Joined: January 26th, 2005, 9:34 pmPosts: 10955Location: Sycamore, IL

Did you hear about some guy who reached out and slapped some guy riding in the TDF in the face with a THUNDERSTICK? Some guy was riding up the hill and some dude reached out out and rocked him in the grill with a mini-thunderstick which broke the guy's nose. Then the guy riding the bike stopped and wanted to go whoop this dude. Talk about freaking hilarious. Where's the video of it?

Did you hear about some guy who reached out and slapped some guy riding in the TDF in the face with a THUNDERSTICK? Some guy was riding up the hill and some dude reached out out and rocked him in the grill with a mini-thunderstick which broke the guy's nose. Then the guy riding the bike stopped and wanted to go whoop this dude. Talk about freaking hilarious. Where's the video of it?

He got hit in the face with a thunderstick, lol.

Are you CERTAIN it was a thunderstick?

July 19th, 2005, 11:50 am

conversion02

RIP Killer

Joined: January 26th, 2005, 9:34 pmPosts: 10955Location: Sycamore, IL

I heard from someone who saw it that it was very similar to a Piston thunderstick, just slightly smaller. They said that the guy pushed his way through a handful of people who were waving these mini-thundersticks, grabbed one from someone, and slapped the rider in the grill with it.

? This is a hell of a race. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets -- this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it. ? ? Lance Armstrong